Rail-clamp.



J. C. CROWSON.

` RAIL CLAMP.

APrLIoATIoN FILED AUG. a1. 190s.

922,394. Patented May 1s, 1909.

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L 9 y vf v Gtkuunp.

J. C. GROWSON.

RAIL CLAMP.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 31, 1908.

Patented May 18, 1909.

z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN C. CROWSON, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.v

RAIL-GLAN?.

Specification of Letters Patent. y Application led August 31, 1908. Serial No. 451,001.

Patented May 18, 1909.

y T o all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. CRowsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pen- `sacola, in the county of Escambia, State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Clamps; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention has relation to improvements in rail clamps, and it aims, primarily, to provide an extremely simple de'- vice of that nature which is arranged for attachment to a tie in such a manner 'as to be held positively against movement and consequent displacement, and which, when in place, will effectively prevent any spreading of the rail.

The invention further resides in the employment of specially formed bolts for attaching the clamp tothe tie, and the provisionfof means for positively holding these bolts against rotation.

Vith these objects in view, the invention briefly described, comprises a member formed with a seat arranged to receive the head or stem of the bolt by means of which it is secured to the tie, said seat being filled, after the bolt is in place, with molten metal which on cooling, forms a seal around the head or stem ofthe bolt, and thus positively holds the latter against all movement.

The preferred embodiment of the inven-V tion is illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

0f the said drawings, Figure l is a plan view of one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken longitudinally on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the bolts employed. Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofay slightly modified form of the bolt. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a second form of the invention. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7 --7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3, 1 designates generally, a flat4 topped solid metal -tie of the ordinary-type, and 2 one of the rails which extend transversely across the tie and are held in place by the clamps hereinafter described. As the clamps at both ends of the tiel are identical, a description of one set will suiiice. As shown in Fig. 2, the right hand clamp is in the form of a solid metal block 3 provided at its inner end with a projecting lip 4 which is arranged to extend across and rest directly against theadjacent flange of the rail. The lower portion of this block lits inra seat 5 formed in the upper face of the tie, the end walls of the seat being inclined in the same direction. In the upper face of said block, there is formed a seat 6 which is rectangular in cross section, the depth ofthe seat being approximately half the height of the block. This seat is arranged to receive the squared head of a bolt 7 whose threaded stem extends through registering openings formed in theblock and in the tie, as shown, the under face of the head of said bolt being arranged to contact with the bottom wall of the seat 6 when said bolt is tightened to thev .proper extent. The seat 6, above referred to, is filled, after the bolt has been properly positioned and tightened, with molten lead or other suitable-material 8, which when cooled, forms a seal. This seal surrounds the side and top faces of the bolt head,- and thus positively prevents an movement whatever of the bolt. rlhe left hand rail flange is engaged by the head 9 of a bolt 10, whose threaded stem likewise extends through an opening formed in the tie, rotation of the bolt being effected by means of a spanner or similar implement (not shown) with an upwardly extending squared shoulder 11 formed upon the convex upper face of the bolt head. The lower face of the bolt head is formed in like manner with a depending neck 12 whose diameter slightly exceeds that of the stem of the bolt, the free lower face of said neck being brought into frictional engagement with the upper face of the tie when the bolt is tightened suiiciently. In the lower face of the bolt head is formed aseries of inclined radial teeth 13. As above stated, the bolt head is arranged to engage at one side the left hand flange, of the rail; at its remaining three sides, said head is partially inclosed by a C-shaped member 14, which projects upwardly and is formed during the casting of the tie. Into the partially inclosed box prorail-flange during the initial tightening of matelyl elliptical in cross section, the length i tion of the left hand bolt is enlarged and is slots 6 after the position o the blocks has head is shown, said head being generally tightened. Each-bolt terminates at its upduced by this member, is oured a filling 15 l of molten lead or other suitable material, the molten state of the' filling permitting it to flowfunder and around the bolt head, so as' I to fill the interstices formed between the; adjacent' teeth 13. Vhen the filling has hardened, it' will be found impossible to rotate the bolt 10, the action of the filling being assisted by the formation of the teeth 13, some of which teeth will bite into the the bolt.

. In Fig. 4, a slightly modified form of bolt designated bythe numeral 9. In this form of head', the teeth 13 are dispensedv with, there being formed upon the upper face of the head a series of radial grooves or channels 13 into which the molten filling will flow and subsequently harden.

- In` the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, the rail is clamped against the tie by means of a pair of counterpart metal blocks 3', each of which includes an integral lip 4 which is arranged to extend across and to be tightened 'against the adjacent flange of the rail. Each of these blocks is secured to the tie by means of a bolt 7 which extends throu h a vertical slot 6. formed in the block an through a bolt hole formed in the tie, that ortiony of the stem of each bolt which fits 1n the last mentioned opening being threaded. The slots 6, as shown in Fig. 7, fare approxiof theirA major axes being considerably greater than the diameter of the bolt stems, thus allowing a limited adjustment of the blocks with respect to the rail, prior to the tightening of the bolts.

The upper portion of the stem of the right hand bolt which ts in the corresponding slot 6 is rectangular in cross section, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and as designated by the numeral 16, while the corresponding porformed with a series of parallel notches 17, arranged longitudinally thereof. The squared portion and the notches in question are formed for the purpose of positively preventing any rotation of the bolts when the molten filling 8 has been oured into the been properly adjusted and the bolts then per end in a square head 18, sufliciently large to extend at opposite sides beyond the corresponding edges of the slots, the under faces of the heads being broughtinto contact with the upper faces of the b ocks bythe tightenin of thev bolts.

t. will be a parent from the foregoing that in both orms of the invention, the

bolts, when once tightened, are positively held against rotation by theseal formed by the cooled metal, and that-this retention of the bolts holds the'blocks against becoming loosened, so that the blocks exercise at all times their initial clamping pressure against the rail flanges.

In the appended claims, the terms seated member and member provided with a seat are intended to refer to the blocks 3 and 3- as well as tothe C-sha'ped member 14,l the upward projection of the last mentioned member and the particular arrangement of the bolt head 9 with respect thereto being such that said head may be properly regarded as fitting in a seat.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a tie formed- With a bolt hole, of a seated member provided upon the upper face of the tie; a bolt having the'upper portion thereof disposed Within the-seat' in said member, and the lower portion thereof fitting in the bolt hole; and a seal Ifilling said seat and vsurrounding that portion of the bolt which is disposed therein.

2. The combination with a tie formed with a bolt hole, of a seated member provided upon the upper face of the tie; a bolt having the upper portion thereof disposed Within the seat in said member, and the lower portion thereof fitting Qin the bolt hole; and a metal seal filling said seat and surrounding that portion of the bolt which is disposed therein.

3. The combination with a tie formed with a 'bolt hole, of a block mounted upon the upper face of the tie directly above the bolt hole, said block being `formed with a seat and with a projecting lip; a bolt having its upper portion disposed in said seat, and its lower portion fitting in said bolt hole; and a seal llinglsaid seat and surrounding that portion of the bolt disposed therein.

with a bolt hole, of a block mounted upon' the upper face of the tie directly above the bolt hole, said block being formed with a seat and with a projecting lip; a bolt having its upper portion disposed in said seat, and its lower portion fitting in said bolt hole; and a metal seal filling said'seat. and surrounding` that portion of the bolt\dis posed therein.

5. The combination 'of a tie formed with a bolt hole; a block mounted upon the uplper face of the tie directly above the bolt hole and formed with a projecting lip and with a slot; a bolt having the u per portion thereof disposed within said s ot, and the lower portion thereof fitting in the bolt hole; and a seal filling said slot and sur-l rounding that portion of the bolt which is disposed therein 6. The combination of a tie formed with a bolt hole; a seated member provided upon the upper face of the tie directly above the bolt hole; a bolt having the upper portion thereof disposed within the seat 1n said member and its lower portion fitting in the bolt hole, the first mentioned portion of the bolt being formed with a series of notches;

and a'sealillingsaid seat and surrounding that portion of the bolt disposed therein; the seal entering said notches in said portion.

7. The combination of a tie formed with a bolt hole; a seated block mounted upon the upper face of the tie directly above the bolt hole; a bolt having the upper portion thereof disposedv in the seat in the block, and its lower portion fitting in thebolt hole, the first mentioned portion of the bolt being formed with a series of notches; and a seal filling said seat and surrounding that portion of the bolt disposed therein, the seal entering said notches in said portion.

8. The combination of a tie formed with a bolt hole; a lon 'tudinally-slotted block disposed directly a ove the bolt hole and formed with a projecting lip; a bolt having the upper portion thereof disposed in said slot, and its lower portion ttin: in the bolt hole the first mentioned portion of the bolt being formedv with a. series of notch; and a seal filling the slot and surrounding that i portion of the bolt disposed therein, the seal entering the notches in said portion.

In testimon5 whereof, I afIix my signature, in presence of two witnesses. JOHN C. CROWSON. Witnesses:

B. E. CooKsEY, H. C. MGCARTENEY. 

